Akash Network’s native token AKT ripped higher on the heels of an on-chain vote for a major protocol change, surging roughly 20.2% in 24 hours to about $0.417 as traders piled in ahead of the decision. Why traders are excited - The Burn-Mint Equilibrium (BME) proposal is heading to an on-chain vote. Under BME, AKT consumed for compute deployments would be burned, directly linking token utility to actual network demand — a mechanism that could tighten supply if usage rises. - The upgrade also adds WASM smart-contract support, opening the door for faster developer iteration and broader dApp activity on Akash’s decentralized cloud. That potential for increased network demand is fueling speculative interest. Market movers and technical picture - Spot volume exploded, jumping 981.7% to $54.47M — a clear sign of sudden retail and spot-market participation. - Price broke out of a multi-week consolidation between $0.289 and $0.380 and has flipped the $0.380 ceiling into near-term support. AKT is now testing resistance around $0.44, a zone that previously capped rallies. - Momentum indicators have turned bullish: MACD crossed above its signal line, the histogram is printing positive bars and the MACD has climbed above zero, matching the breakout. That said, the MACD is reaching levels where short-term cooling often occurs — sustained positive bars and price holding above $0.38 are needed to confirm the move. Derivatives: leverage and a crowded short - Open Interest surged 136.4% to $13.19M, showing heavy inflows of leveraged positions as traders bet on the breakout — a setup that can magnify volatility if liquidations occur. - Paradoxically, the OI-weighted funding rate sits deeply negative at about -0.275%, indicating shorts currently dominate perp markets and longs are being paid to hold. That creates a crowded-short dynamic: if price keeps rising, short squeezes could accelerate volatility upward. What to watch next - $0.44 is the immediate make-or-break level. A sustained move above it would reinforce the narrative that BME (and the promise of rising on-chain utility) is being priced in. Failure to clear $0.44 could mean the market still needs stronger, real-world demand before fully valuing the upgrade’s potential. Bottom line AKT’s surge is being driven by a mix of protocol fundamentals (BME and WASM), momentum trading, and heavy derivatives positioning. That combination creates both upside potential if demand materializes and elevated risk from leveraged activity and a crowded short side. Disclaimer: This piece is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading carries significant risk; do your own research before making decisions. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

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